


Not So Easy

by ClementRage



Category: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-15
Updated: 2020-07-15
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:01:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25272835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClementRage/pseuds/ClementRage
Summary: The Jedi do not get involved in The Clone Wars. There are consequences.
Kudos: 2





	Not So Easy

Padme Amidala’s heart thrummed against Anakin Skywalker’s back, reassuring him as much as his Master’s measured calm. Beneath them, the Reek was shifting, penned in by the seven droidekas. It was no tame bantha, it still wanted to charge, to kill, and it took concentration to keep it still and calm as the seven droidekas rolled into place, penning them in. There was no escape.

Obi Wan Kenobi drew breath.

“It seems your execution has failed, my lord. Perhaps we can-”

Far away in the box, Dooku dropped his hand, and a droideka fired. Had it been aimed at him, Anakin could have dodged, but the bolt hit the Reek in the side of the neck, and he was thrown forward to the hot Geonosian sands. He rolled over just in time to meet Padme’s eyes and was looking directly at her and already screaming before the blaster bolt took her in the side.

Distantly, impossibly, he heard Nute Gunray laugh as she fell. Obi Wan had landed well and successfully managed to dodge two bolts and send a final burst of pride through their bond before another exploded out of his back. Two falling bodies fell to the sands with a soft thump. Perhaps three heartbeats had passed.

On his knees, Anakin Skywalker howled. The droidekas were pushed back four paces by the strength of his rage and pain, but rolled back upright still in formation. His hands came up towards the destroyer that had killed Padme, and the machine’s durasteel frame buckled, the core processing unit split in half. He was spinning to face the one that had killed his master when a stun bolt from another blasted him off his feet.

It should have knocked him cold, but the knowledge that they were leaving him alive fed his rage, and his stumble turned into a roll. Two blaster cannons ripped themselves free of the nearest destroyer and fell to the sand at his gesture. He snapped up a hand to another blaster bolt and froze it in midair. All the power he could ever need, come moments too late to save those he loved. He was still screaming, unheard over the noise of the crowd in the stands.

Focused on the destroyers, he never saw the Geonosian flying from above until the electrostaff knocked him to his knees. He staggered back to his feet once more, freezing another stun bolt, but the droideka must have fired two, because suddenly he was face down in the sand, the victim of a bolt he hadn’t seen. His wrists were in binders behind his back and there were tear tracks on his face as he was hoisted to face Count Dooku, who had descended to the sands on a floating platform.

On his knees and bound, he could only glare, promising himself that the count would answer for this.

“I have seldom felt such hate,” Dooku said, taking a step back from Anakin’s rage. “You love your Master as few Jedi have. And… the Senator? How interesting.”

Anakin spat at him and missed. “Why am I alive?”

“The Geonosians do so love their sport. Unfortunately, the Senator has made an enemy of the Trade Federation… and your Master was too dangerous to leave alive.”

Anakin snarled at him, but in this condition even his hate was impotent.

Dooku regarded him for a moment. “I had thought the Jedi Council might attempt to rescue you, but apparently you and your master are not as valuable as I believed. Always such a pity to see a faithful servant cast aside.”

Anakin focused through the Force, willing his hate towards the count, but nothing happened beyond a thin smile.

“Oh, I feel it. Take him back to his cell.”

The electrostaff descended again, and Anakin Skywalker knew no more.

When he awoke, he was indeed back in his cell, chained to the wall by his wrists. He could feel the burns from the shocksticks and bolts across his back. Dooku’s presence was perceptible, but far away from this cellblock. Otherwise, he could feel various Geonosians about their business, indifferent of course to the horrors they created. Nearby, he could only feel two Geonosian guards, sleepy and complacent.

So, here he was, a slave once more. But no longer a helpless child. He had lost everything he had ever loved, his mother, his master and his love, and not had the power to save them. But he had power now, and those who had hurt him would regret leaving him alive. He was certain of that.

He turned his mind to the chain, and ripped it free from the wall. The Count had felt his hate, but apparently underestimated it. The Geonosian guards jerked to wakefulness at the noise. Good. Let them come.

The cell door was sturdy, built to absorb even the rage of Wookiee or Trandoshan captives, but it offered no more resistance to Anakin’s rage than the chains had, blasted backwards out of its moorings in three pieces. The Geonosians rounded the corner, one with an electrostaff, the other with one of their sonic blasters. They would have been no match for him even before, but now… He extended his will towards the blaster wielding one, focusing on its throat. It dropped the blaster and clawed at itself as the other closed to charge. His hands were still bound, but there was three feet of chain trailing from his wrists, and after disarming his attacker he wound the chain around its throat, pulling it tight, choking one Geonosian with the power of the Force, the other with his chains.

He couldn’t make them feel his pain, but they would die knowing some small measure of it. The one he was killing by hand died first, the other spluttering on for long moments more. They died all too quickly, which only fed his rage.

The powers of the Chosen one, come too late to save those he loved. He burned to face Dooku and make the man answer for his crimes, but that would have to be saved for later. First he had to report, let the Jedi and the Chancellor know what Dooku had become. Then there would be a reckoning.

The Nubian ship was gone, but Obi Wan’s Delta 7 Starfighter was easy to find. It was exactly where he had been trained to hide ships in these situations, one final gift from his dead Master. Curiously, his master’s lightsabre had been left inside, on the seat of the cockpit. As strange as it was, Anakin was not going to turn down such an unexpected blessing, and hooked the sabre into his belt as he fired the engines of the Delta.

Anakin Skywalker got it into the air as quickly as possible, found the hyperspace ring and fled the planet, apparently unnoticed. Alone in hyperspace, he could let himself start to cry. But there would be a reckoning.

Chancellor Palpatine would know what to do.

* * *

Coruscant air traffic control immediately directed Anakin’s (Obi Wan’s) fighter to the landing pods of the Senate, where Chancellor Palpatine was there to greet him. Anakin correctly anticipated that this entailed bad news.

As he spilled out his story in a confused mess, the Chancellor listened impassively, and then caught hold of his shoulder, hauling him to his feet.

“I understand your distress, my boy, but we cannot delay. We must go to see the Jedi immediately. We need their help.”

* * *

Chancellor Sheev Palpatine was famous for his steadiness and calm under pressure. Even the Jedi Council had seldom seen him lose composure. Until now.

“Young Anakin tells a rather curious story, esteemed Masters. I commended Senator Amidala to the care of Jedi Master Obi Wan Kenobi, and she has now been executed by the Separatist alliance for espionage and attempted assassination. That was not the care for her wellbeing I expected when I entrusted her to your protection.

Further, I am assured that you were aware of the Separatists gathering an army on Geonosis, and failed to inform either myself or the Senate, resulting in the execution of our beloved Senator Amidala and Master Kenobi. Anakin returned to us only with great trials and demonstration of skills, and his news has now arrived too late.

The Separatists have begun to invade Republic worlds with their droid armies, and we will have little chances to defend ourselves with the resources we have.

Fortunately, I’ve also received a curious communication from Kamino, stating that the Clone Army ordered for the Republic by Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas is ready for action, as confirmed by the recent visit by overseer Obi Wan Kenobi. And yet, none of this was mentioned to myself or the Senate, leaving us completely unprepared for this invasion, despite the knowledge of the Jedi Council of an army available to the Republic, even as the Separatist army overran our worlds unopposed! “

Palpatine took a breath. “Esteemed Masters, I want to believe that there is a good explanation for these derelictions of duty from this Order. Absent this army, it is within the bounds of possibility that this Republic, which has stood for a thousand years, will be destroyed in ten more. For the time being I choose to assume good faith in your actions, but some in the Senate will be crying ‘treason’, and I invite this council to consider very carefully any response, because I may not be able to extend much protection to the Jedi in light of these revelations. Indeed, I myself am most curious to hear your reply.”

He swept out, leaving Anakin alone before the Jedi Council. He stared around at them, shattered and broken.

Eventually, Yoda broke the long silence.

“Much have you suffered, young Skywalker. The Dark Side, I sense in you.”

Silence. Then Anakin looked up: “And why not? It gave me power. Power I could have used to save my Master, if I only had found it sooner.”

“The path of the Dark Side is dangerous.” Mace Windu spoke up, watching Anakin’s face with his senses alert. They could all feel it now.

“I hope so. I will need its power, in the war to come..”

“Not the Jedi way, this is.”

Something flared in Anakin’s eyes. “The Jedi Way was to leave me to my execution, to leave my Master to die. To leave Senator Amidala to die. And now we have war regardless.”

“We must not become involved in this war. It is dangerous, the work of the dark side.”

“Count Dooku will disagree.”

“Maybe so. Nevertheless, declare neutrality, we shall. The Jedi shall not fight this war.”

Anakin stared around in disbelief for a heartbeat, then ignited Obi Wan’s sabre. A few of the Masters started to their feet, but Anakin flicked the blade up and cut the Padwan braid free of his head, letting it fall to the floor “Then I will fight for those that will fight for me.”

He turned on his heel, leaving the council in silence.

* * *

Count Dooku cut an impressive figure, even without the fifteen foot tall screen behind him. The Separatist Senate, which was technically illegal, watched with rapt attention.

“It is with great regret that I address the Senate on this matter. I have striven to find a peaceful solution with all my heart but the Republic has proven its duplicity. On Geonosis, Senator Padme Amidala took a Jedi bodyguard in an effort to assassinate me.”

Uproar. Count Dooku stood in silence until it faded, in control as ever.

“It is well known that Senator Amidala has close ties to Chancellor Palpatine. While both she and her Jedi died in the attempt, it is clear whose hand is behind this move. I have also been informed that the Republic Senate has approached the Cloners of Kamino to acquire a Clone Army. Their intentions are now clear, which means we must defend ourselves. The Trade Federation have agreed to come to our aid in this matter. It is deeply unfortunate, but I am afraid we have no choice.”

More roars, another pause. Then a cry from the back. “What of the Jedi’s claim to neutrality?”

Count Dooku could only laugh. “And who ordered this Clone Army for the Republic? A Jedi Master. I beg you, Senators, see things as they are. The Jedi’s claim of neutrality is only a deception. They will claim to be neutral arbiters, but they are not. If they do not openly fight for the Republic, we must treat them as spies, or we allow our adversaries to run free unopposed.”

More roars of acclaim. The motion passed, of course. All the pieces were in place.

And all across the galaxy, Jedi began to die.


End file.
